David Roy
Eagle Dancer
18" total
height
This dance is not as common
as it might have been at one time, and according to Barton Wright's
Kachinas: a Hopi Artist's Documentary, you might have the satisfaction
of occassionally seeing a performance "in one of the night
ceremonies in March or during the Powamu."
"Usually the personator
imitates the step or motion and cry of the eagle to absolute
perfection. There is evidence that this kachina was imported
into Zuni from the Hopi and is danced there in much the same
manner that it is at Hopi.
This may be why the Eagle
may appear during Pamuya on First Mesa with Zuni Kachinas."
(87)
David Roy was born March 16,
1965 to the village of Moenkopi near Tuba City, Arizona.
David is self-taught and looks
at his own anatomy in order to understand the body structure
of the Kachina dolls. He also looks at books in order to help
him understand what to do. In addition, he listens attentively
to his customers' suggestions.
He has been carving since
he was in high school and, after graduating, he worked for the
Hopi Tribe. He carved in his spare time and said that all of
a sudden, he seemed to be getting good. At first, he used feathers
and leather, but when he began all-wood carving, he found that
he liked it and wanted to learn more about it.
"There is more detail
to carve in," he says. "I always work on one doll at
a time as I want to finish a doll and not put it away."
David makes from two to four dolls in a month, taking his time
so they will turn out well. He likes to do the Tewa and Eagle
Kachinas most because they have more feathers on them. He also
likes making the Hemis Kachina doll.
David always carves with cottonwood
root which he buys, but sometimes the dealers will give him wood
so that he will sell dolls to them. "I use all kinds of
Dremel tools and also the band saw to cut out the doll. I also
use X-acto and pocket knives. Many of the carvers say that they
don't use power tools, but they do. Everybody is using them now,"
said David.
- taken from Hopi Kachina Dolls and
Their Carvers by Theda Bassman (p. 140)
